Your First Pharma Jobhttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com
Advice and information to help you start a career in the pharmaceutical / biotechnology industry!Wed, 21 Nov 2012 02:38:03 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1New global Medical Science Liaison Society launcheshttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2012/11/20/new-global-medical-science-liaison-society-launches/
http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2012/11/20/new-global-medical-science-liaison-society-launches/#commentsWed, 21 Nov 2012 02:38:03 +0000Headhunterhttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/?p=486Dr. Samuel Dyer, founder of the MSL World career site for medical science liaisons, has asked me to share the following release regarding the launch of the first ever global Medical Science Liaison Society.

As the MSL role continues to rapidly grow and play an ever increasingly important role in the success of pharmaceutical and biotech companies, there has been a need for a dedicated professional organization to serve as a voice for the profession.

The MSL Society is a Non-Profit organization exclusively dedicated to serving as this voice and advancing the global MSL career!

The Medical Science Liaison role is rapidly growing across the Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, Medical Device, CRO, and other healthcare industries. MSLs play vital roles in the success of a company. They work throughout product lifecycles, help to ensure that products are utilized effectively, serve as scientific peers and resources within the medical community, and are scientific content experts to internal colleagues at companies.

The Mission of the Medical Science Liaison Society is exclusively dedicated to advancing the global MSL profession.

The MSL Society provides resources for those interested in the MSL role, as well as, professional growth and development opportunities for current MSL Managers and individual MSLs including:

Live Conferences-featuring prominent speakers where members can interact and share ideas

Training-including best practice sharing and research for experienced MSLs as well as training programs to assist candidates who want to break into the role

Networking Opportunities-including opportunities to meet and engage with MSL colleagues and management around the world

Career Services

The Vision of the Medical Science Liaison Society is to be the primary global resource for MSL professionals in the Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, Medical Device, CRO, and other healthcare industries.

They are offering a FREE download of a FirstWord summary report on MSL-KOL engagement and compliance. You can find the link to the report here: http://www.themsls.org/free-report

]]>http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2012/11/20/new-global-medical-science-liaison-society-launches/feed/0Are professional science master’s programs worth the investment?http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/09/03/are-professional-science-masters-programs-worth-the-investment/
http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/09/03/are-professional-science-masters-programs-worth-the-investment/#commentsSun, 04 Sep 2011 01:04:19 +0000Headhunterhttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/?p=482A few days after I posted my last entry, on post-graduate training programs for pharma careers, GenomeWeb posted a link to a recent report from the Council of Graduate Schools which looks at outcomes for graduate from professional science masters programs.

“Professional Science Masters” (PSM) programs are fairly new. For an overview, you can check out this New York Times article, which describes the way these programs have grown since their initial introduction:

“I think of it as a 21st-century degree,” said David King, dean of graduate studies and research at the State University of New York College at Oswego. “It’s interdisciplinary. It’s a hybrid, which I think is more agile. It’s responsive to rapidly changing needs in terms of the job market.”

Along with an emphasis on the development of professional skills such as writing, leadership, and communication, most PSM programs require an experiential component that must include a final project that is developed with an employer. The experiential component typically includes an internship in a business or public sector setting.”

More than 50% of students in these programs are in a course of study related to the life sciences. But are the programs a good career move? According to the report,

“Since this survey was implemented roughly one to two months after spring 2011 graduation, and approximately six months after December 2010 graduation, the fact that 81.6% of respondents were employed so soon after graduation is an encouraging finding, especially given the current job market and unemployment rate. Among respondents who were working, 88.4% were working in a job that is closely or somewhat related to their field of study.”

The full report also includes some interesting data on what students found themselves doing after graduation, and about the salaries they were receiving. You can find out more about different PSM programs that are available by checking out www.sciencemasters.com.

(Note that there are lots of postgraduate training programs that follow a ‘professional’ model without being officially part of the PSM program. However, you can be reasonably sure that a program that carries the official PSM brand is not a fly-by-night operation!)

]]>http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/09/03/are-professional-science-masters-programs-worth-the-investment/feed/0How to choose a clinical research training programhttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/25/478/
http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/25/478/#commentsThu, 25 Aug 2011 12:22:21 +0000Headhunterhttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/25/478/It’s getting to the point where you can’t open a newspaper or current affairs magazine without reading an article about how difficult it is to get a decent job these days. See, for example, “The Youth Unemployment Bomb” in Business Week or “The Outsiders” in the Economist. Many new graduates leave college deep in debt, and find that their degree is not quite the ticket to ride they had thought it would be. As a result, many are deciding to head back to school to pursue career-focused postgraduate education.

Career colleges and ‘practical’ masters degree programs are a very visible example of supply and demand. If a particular job category is seen as ‘hot’, you can bet you’ll be able to find a college ready to sell you a postgraduate program promising to prepare you for the field. Some require a year or more of classwork, whereas others offer results from a short online program. Many promise internships, co-op placements and opportunities to network with industry professionals. This is definitely true of the pharmaceutical sector: there are almost too many programs to count offering classes, certificates and degrees in clinical research, regulatory affairs, pharmaceutical quality control, and just about any other role in the sector.

Personally, I think this is a pretty disgusting development. It used to be that new graduates would be given a chance at an entry-level role, and trained on the job. Their college diploma or graduate degree was sufficient evidence to show that they were smart enough and determined enough to be given a chance to perform. Many of the current leaders in the pharmaceutical industry got where they are after being hired right out of school with little or no ‘real-world’ experience. Nowadays, students pay through the nose for their undergraduate education, only to find that they are expected to pay even more when they finish. They attend career colleges in order to gain access to internships, paying tuition instead of receiving a paycheque as they get that vitally-important entry level experience. It seems like an incredibly exploitative system.

Clearly, this can be a treacherous – and expensive – path for someone who’s simply trying to get their foot in the door to begin their working life. If you are trying to fulfill your career goals of becoming a clinical research associate, for example, how do you navigate this maze of choices, avoid ripoffs and scams, and find a program that’s right for you?

If you have decided that some additional training is the right next step for you, here are some things to look for when researching and choosing which institution will receive your hard-earned dollars:

(1) Bricks and mortar. One of the greatest advantages that a career training program can offer is the opportunity to build your network with people who are, or soon will be working in the pharmaceutical industry. Online programs simply can’t offer the same chance to get to know your classmates and teachers.

(2) Professional faculty: Your program should be taught by people with current, real-world experience in the industry. The program website should offer detailed bios on all lecturers and guest speakers. Google their names, and make sure that their pharmaceutical industry experience is relevant, significant, and recent. Clinical research, regulatory affairs and other pharmaceutical careers are very dynamic. You want to be sure you’re learning from someone who has experience with the most current facets of the industry.

(3) Pedigree/Reputation. In order for the program to add cachet to your resume, people will have to have heard of it. For this reason, a program that’s affiliated with a well-known institution may be better than a small standalone career college. If you’re not sure about the program’s reputation, do some investigating! Post a question to a relevant linkedin group, or ask for recommendations during your informational interviews. You can also check with professional organizations (like ACRP or SoCRA for clinical research) to see what programs they suggest.

]]>http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/25/478/feed/2How to get started in science writing and communicationshttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/18/how-to-get-started-in-science-writing-and-communications/
http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/18/how-to-get-started-in-science-writing-and-communications/#commentsFri, 19 Aug 2011 01:34:53 +0000Headhunterhttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/?p=472There was another interesting discussion over at ask.metafilter this week. This time, the conversation was about scientific communications.

As I enter the (hopefully) final year of my PhD, I am thinking hard about what’s next for me. My soul searching has recently led to the realization that my passion isn’t necessarily in my particular niche of science as much as it is for science in general. Great discoveries, elegant methodologies, and the philosophy of scientific inquiry all tie my stomach in knots with excitement, and I dislike the idea of limiting myself to my sub-sub-specialty of science. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I would love a career communicating science to the public. Whether I actualize this goal by writing books, discussing with students, hosting a scientific tv show, writing a science column, or just talking about science to the person next to me in line at the supermarket counter, I think I could be an excellent liason between the scientific community and the general public.

So, how does one go about developing a career as a science popularizer? Whether you want to be the next Carl Sagan — or Bill Nye — the ask.metafilter discussion provides a lot of great ideas and links. A user named ChuraChura posted a link to a blog called “Through the Looking Glass“, which features an excellent post on the realities of a job in science communications and some thoughts on getting started. The “Black Hole” blog, which is focused on issues affecting science training in Canada, also has a great post on the topic entitled “So, you want to be a Science Writer when you grow up…“.

Some of the links from these resources are great, so I’m going to pull them out and share them here, along with some others I’ve discovered:

Even if you don’t want to make science writing your career, you should take a look at some of this advice if you hope to find a job as a medical science liaison, medical education specialist, or any other role where being able to clearly communicate scientific concepts to mixed audiences would be valuable.

Good luck in your search!

]]>http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/18/how-to-get-started-in-science-writing-and-communications/feed/6Why Business Development can be a great career for scientistshttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/14/why-business-development-can-be-a-great-career-for-scientists/
http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/14/why-business-development-can-be-a-great-career-for-scientists/#commentsSun, 14 Aug 2011 23:23:50 +0000Headhunterhttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/?p=465Today I’m going to discuss business development in the pharmaceutical industry. This is a role that is of particular interest to me, since it is the direction that my own career path has taken since leaving the lab. I happen to think it’s a great job for scientists who are interested in business. Within the pharma industry, business development is a role that provides a birds-eye view of the entire drug development process while maintaining a very clear focus on business goals. Because business development jobs are cross-functional, they frequently provide opportunities for close collaboration with other teams from both research and operational sides of the business.

Business development is often confused with sales. This is understandable, because they ultimately have the same goal — driving revenue for the firm. But selling products to customers is only one way to drive revenue, and in the world of pharmaceutical and biotech companies, the ability to sell a finished drug to the public is at the end of a very long cycle of research, product development, clinical trials and regulatory approvals. Along the way, pharmaceutical and biotech companies need to be able to understand their market, identify opportunities and develop strategic plans for making deals and managing partnerships.

For example, an established pharmaceutical company may seek to in-license a new drug candidate or drug development platform from a smaller biotech company, or might even acquire the company outright. On the flip side, biotech companies look for partners that will help to support the high costs of clinical trials in exchange for marketing rights. This presentation (PDF) by the VP of Corporate Development for Endo Pharmaceuticals provides a great summary of some of the questions and considerations involved in the process of deciding and negotiating pharmaceutical inlicensing and acquisition deals.

There are numerous different paths to a business development job. Transitional jobs which could help someone prepare for a career in pharmaceutical business development might include market research, technology transfer or sales. Many people in the role have an MBA or other business background, but it is quite possible to succeed with a degree in the sciences — in fact, it is often essential, according to Brandon Price, a business development consultant interviewed by Science Careers:

“In the big corporations, business development most often refers to teams of people looking for new products, new markets for existing technologies, strategic partnerships, and the like,” Brandon says. Scientific knowledge is really important in these jobs, and although there are non-Ph.D.s in business development, employers will readily pay a premium for advanced degrees. I see far more BD positions that require Ph.D.s than I do positions that require any other degree, including MBAs.

The role of a Business Development Specialist requires strong research, communications, critical thinking and strategic planning skills — all of which one hopefully has developed in the process of completing a graduate science degree. Understanding the research process, and being able to communicate effectively with scientists is also important, and can provide an edge. Having a strong grounding in the sciences can also be a great advantage in evaluating a new product or process to determine its value. For scientists, working in business development is a great way to learn about business strategy and planning while gaining experience in relationship management, negotiation and finance.

I transitioned into business development gradually. Immediately after completing my PhD, I began working as a recruiter (headhunter) in the life sciences. Recruiting is essentially a sales job, and the position gave me a solid grounding in basic business skills while developing my abilities in negotiation. Subsequently, I worked in business development for a health informatics consulting firm before taking my current role with a CRO. Currently, I help to develop new business opportunities related to the development and marketing of new diagnostics. It’s a rewarding career that makes good use of my background in science, and while I don’t work in a lab any more, I still get to chat often with people that do. I also enjoy being on the side of the business that brings money in!

This has been a high-level overview of pharmaceutical business development. In the future, I may write a post or two digging more deeply into specific aspects, such as licensing or market evaluation. Hope you enjoyed it.

Good luck in your search.

]]>http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/14/why-business-development-can-be-a-great-career-for-scientists/feed/0Transitioning into clinical research: the roles of the CTA and CRChttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/11/transitioning-into-clinical-research-the-roles-of-the-cta-and-crc/
http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/11/transitioning-into-clinical-research-the-roles-of-the-cta-and-crc/#commentsThu, 11 Aug 2011 22:21:58 +0000Headhunterhttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/?p=461Today I’m going to write about two roles in clinical research that offer a good opportunity to transition into a pharmaceutical career. Clinical Trial Assistants (CTAs) and Clinical Research Coordinators (CRCs) both play important roles in the management of clinical trials. Both can be a good stepping stone for other, more coveted roles, such as clinical research associate or clinical project management jobs. However, they aren’t quite the same, and understanding the distinctions will help you to understand how one of these entry-level clinical research positions can fit into a long-term career in the pharmaceutical industry.

A clinical trial assistant (sometimes also referred to as clinical trials administrators or clinical research assistants) usually work for pharmaceutical companies (trial sponsors) or contract research organizations (CROs). Their role is primarily office-based, and their responsibilities involve providing support to other members of the clinical research team. They track and file documentation (such as trial protocols and case report forms), coordinate meetings and teleconferences, and help to manage timelines and budgets. As with anyone involved in clinical trials, it is essential to understand and follow ICH-GCP guidelines.

At myjobsearch.com, Charlotte Parker, a clinical trials administrator for a pharmaceutical company, describes her job:

I love my job; every day is different. I could be raising purchase orders, scanning documents into our electronic trial master file (electronic filing system for all clinical trial documents) or creating essential documents for the hospital staff working on the clinical trials.

I also regularly attend teleconferences and study-team meetings (I am now a well-practised minute-taker), co-ordinate ethics and research and development (R&D) submissions, and prepare for site initiation visits. This involves creating all the necessary site files and study specific materials. There are always things to be doing. (. . .)

I also work closely with hospitals. Each clinical trial protocol is carried out in a hospital (we call them sites or centres), and each site is managed by a clinical research site manager (CRSM). I currently work with around 15 different CRSMs. Some manage multiple sites over the different trials.

I also work with the co-ordinator of the clinical trial at each site to ensure that the correct essential documents are signed, completed and returned. Sometimes I have to communicate directly with the investigators (doctors), research nurses and pharmacists. I also work with 12 fellow CTAs. We support each other in our workloads and take on some tasks as a group.

In some ways, Clinical Research Coordinators represent the flip side of the CTA coin. Many of a CRC’s responsibilities are similar to those of a CTA, but whereas a CTA helps to manage the sponsor side of a clinical trial, a CRC’s role is to work closely with a principal investigator – a physician who is leading the conduct of a clinical trial at a research site (which may include independent medical practices or clinics as well as academic sites affiliated with a university hospital).

The CRC is usually employed directly by the PI, and is responsible for the coordination, management, and conduct of clinical research at the site. They may be involved with preparation of IRB submissions and informed consent documents, negotiating budgets and processes with the trial sponsor and institutional representatives (e.g. hospital administration), patient recruitment, adverse event reporting, preparing the case report form (CRF) and data management – again, all under strict ICH-GCP guidelines.

This recent article in the journal Nursing provides a good overview of the CRC role:

The CRC handles a diverse range of activities, including administrative, business, medical/nursing, and patient care duties. The CRC, like the clinical nurse, needs self-confidence, flexibility, and the ability to adapt to change. To comply with regulations and policies, the CRC must also pay close attention to details.

Fostering and maintaining good relationships will aid in recruitment and retention of study subjects (patients) and create an atmosphere of professionalism. A CRC also needs good people skills for dealing with representatives of sponsor companies, medical directors, administrators, and others involved in the study.

Eric Lee is a CRC who has an interesting blog about his career transition from academia to clinical research. He recently listed his responsibilities as a CRC at a university hospital:

- collaborating with Principal Investigators regarding new research proposals
- report preparation
- research accounts financial management
- assisting in the development and review of study protocols and preparing protocols for use
- preparing Research Ethics Board (REB) and grant submissions
- acting as a liaison between the REB and Principal Investigators
- developing and maintaining case report forms, data collection forms, questionnaires, parent information handouts, consent/ assent forms and all other research related documents
- performing data collection and entry
- chart requests from Health Records
- overseeing recruitment and patient contact
- monitoring and follow-up on serious adverse events and reporting to Principal Investigator and REB
- booking and coordinating research meetings with study collaborators from other
departments
- working with Biostatistician to develop randomization tables for randomized studies
- specimen shipping (certification for shipping dangerous goods required)

Other Responsibilities:
- designing/overseeing/managing the Medical Student IGT Summer Research Program
-collaborating with the Principal Investigator to apply for medical student funding
-acting as research supervisor for summer medical students and ensuring that students have a structured research experience with measurable learning objectives
-overseeing all REB applications for students and familiarizing students with REB procedures and documentation
-ensuring all students have required Research Ethics Board On-Line Training
-coordinating meetings between students and Principal Investigators
-providing access to data analysis programs or Biostatistician

While both CRC and CTA jobs provide excellent opportunities to transition into a clinical research career, there can still be challenges. CRCs in particular are often frustrated that their experience is often not valued more highly in the search for a clinical research associate job. As Eric notes on his blog,

A CRC helps the PI coordinate a study and protects the investigator’s responsibilities and the CRA monitors it. At one point in time most CRAs began as a CRC! They gained some experience in monitoring some trials and ended up becoming full time CRAs. The process of becoming a CRA still eludes me! When I see entry level CRA jobs, it’s almost always required that the candidate have at least 1 to 3 years of monitoring experience. I think employers have to wake up and smell the roses. If it’s an entry level job, your target audience should be CRCs – ie. experience in coordinating clinical trials. The real difference as a CRA is this: you protect the sponsor with respect to conforming to international guidelines and regulations and as a CRC, you protect the investigators while conforming to the same guidelines. I think an experienced CRC knows what monitoring is all about after they’ve been monitored for all industry sponsored studies! I honestly have not seen any posts that hire entry CRAs without prior monitoring experience. Where the heck do you get the experience in the first place? Again, if you’re already a CRC or an assistant at a pharmaceutical company, you might have the opportunity to move internally into a CRA position. If you’re external, forget about it – to me, this frustrates me and is pretty stupid!

From my experience as a headhunter, I have some appreciation of the sponsor’s point of view. A CRC typically works closely with one, or possibly a few PIs, developing a strong working relationship and in some ways helping to defend or insulate the PI from sponsor demands. They will typically only handle a limited variet of trial protocols, usually within a single therapeutic area.

In contrast, CRAs work with many sites, and while it’s important for them to develop good relationships, sometimes they have to be the “bad guy” and take sites to task if they’re not measuring up. Add to this the fact that an academic or clinic environment is very different than the “real world” of industry: there are different stakeholders, different pressures, and an almost entirely different view of priorities and timelines. While it is undeniable that CRCs have an excellent grasp of ICH-GCP and the trial process from the clinc perspective, they will need to prove that they also understand the ‘bigger picture’.

If you do land a job as a CRC, but hope to transition to a CRA role someday, the best way to manage these objections might be to avoid getting too comfortable. Don’t stay with a single PI or therapeutic area for too long — move around if you can, and try to develop a broad perspective. By showing that you can successfully work with a diverse collection of PIs, protocols and therapeutic areas, you’ll be able to build a strong case that you can succeed in a Clinical Research Associate job.

Good luck in your search!

]]>http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/11/transitioning-into-clinical-research-the-roles-of-the-cta-and-crc/feed/3Book Bargain Alert: How to Break into the Pharmaceutical Industryhttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/10/book-bargain-alert-how-to-break-into-the-pharmaceutical-industry/
http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/10/book-bargain-alert-how-to-break-into-the-pharmaceutical-industry/#commentsWed, 10 Aug 2011 13:47:46 +0000Headhunterhttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/?p=457The Kindle edition of Daniel Danielian’s “A-Z: How to Break into the Pharmaceutical Industry” is currently available for just $2.99. It’s a well-reviewed guide that provides advice for getting your start as a pharmaceutical sales representative. It’s a quick read, and the formatting on Kindle is a little wonky (but not in a way that affects readability) but it gives a really good overview of what a medical sales job is all about and what’s required to be a success. On the other hand, it’s not the right book to turn to if you’re looking for resume advice, as it basically starts with the assumption that you’ve managed to get an interview — which for some people is the toughest part of “breaking in”.

On the whole, I would say that the price is right for this solid little introduction to a pharmaceutical sales career.

]]>http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/10/book-bargain-alert-how-to-break-into-the-pharmaceutical-industry/feed/0Effective cover letters for Medical Science Liaison jobshttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/09/effective-cover-letters-for-medical-science-liaison-jobs/
http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/09/effective-cover-letters-for-medical-science-liaison-jobs/#commentsWed, 10 Aug 2011 01:15:57 +0000Headhunterhttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/?p=450I’ve been given permission to share another article from Dr. Samuel Dyer, the founder of the MSL World career site dedicated to the medical science liaison role. Here, he provides some advice about cover letters. Dr. Dyer worked as an MSL manager for many years — it’s great to get the perspective of a hiring manager.

“Attached you will find my resume for the position of_______”. How many cover letters have you created and submitted that included such a standard opening? How many other candidates do you think have done the same? Put yourself in the recruiter’s or hiring manager’s position and imagine how tedious it must be to read submission after submission with these same or similar words.

Recruiters can easily receive 100’s of cover letters and resumes for each advertised MSL opening. As a result, your cover letter needs to grab the attention of the recruiter or hiring manager very quickly. Most employers will only spend a matter of seconds during an initial pre-screening or review of your cover letter. If it doesn’t grab their attention in some way, it will be discarded.

What strategy can you use to catch the attention of the recruiter or hiring manager? You need to use an attention-grabbing relevant opening while simultaneously remaining professional. In short, write something that will motivate the reader to learn more about you.

Here are five unconventional strategies to create an attention-grabbing opening:

1. Mention a previous discussion with the hiring manager

Obviously you can only pursue this tactic if you have spoken with this person. However, if you had shared such a conversation you have a distinct advantage. Start the letter by referring to this prior contact.

Example: “Thank you for taking the time to speak with me regarding the MSL role in the __________therapeutic area. This position is very interesting and seems to match well with my experiences and to what you and the company are looking for.”

2. Mention the name of the person who referred you

Recruiters and hiring managers are much more likely to remember a cover letter when it mentions a trusted colleague or friend.

Example: “Hello, my name is ______ and I received your name and contact details from John Smith. I am contacting you to learn more about the MSL role with _____ Pharmaceuticals that you are working on”.

3. Open the letter with a description of a major (and relevant) success

Concisely describe this major accomplishment and point out how you can achieve similar results for their company.

Example: “As a senior MSL with _______ Pharmaceuticals in CV, I was able to develop and manage significant KOL relationships which resulted in _____________. I would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you regarding the MSL role in (CV or specific drug) with ______ Pharmaceuticals.” (You need to match and relate your background, accomplishments, pre-existing KOL relationships within the same Therapeutic Area, or any other relevant experiences to the needs of the role and company you are applying to.)

4. Quote the hiring manager directly

If the hiring manager has been interviewed in the media or has posted a comment to a social media site or blog, quote the statement in your letter and highlight how your business practices and values are aligned.

Example: “In a recent interview you had with _________, you stated, “the MSL role continues to evolve as a greater number of KOLs increasingly recognize the important contribution that MSLs can make in the development of their research projects.” After reading this statement, I was confident that my relevant MSL experience of documented history of successfully working with KOLs on numerous research projects would be valued at __________ Pharmaceuticals.

5. Quote a recent industry article or statistic

Quoting an article or statistic relevant to the specific company or industry demonstrates your knowledge of industry trends, latest news, or recent developments.

Example: “The recent (for example-specific Medical Journal reference) article stated that ________ Pharmaceuticals CNS product (or drug) went into phase III trials for the treatment of severe pain. Having relevant experience of worked with two pain products in phase III trials while at _________ Pharmaceuticals, will enable me to play a critical role in assisting the company to be successful in this important step.”

The first paragraph should make it clear how your background and experiences fit well with the role and how you can add value to the team. If possible, try to make a connection with the company, the hiring manager, a mutual colleague, or some other relevance to your background to grab the attention of the reader.

Obviously, the most important factor that a hiring manager considers when screening applicants is that the candidate meets the minimum requirements for the role. However, when several candidates meet the initial criteria, one way to distinguish yourself is to write a unique cover letter to grab the attention of the reader to motivate them to arrange a telephone interview or screen.

If you’re not already working as a medical science liaison, you may be despairing that several of Dr. Dyer’s examples are written from the perspective of an experienced MSL. It’s true that without direct experience, it will be that much harder to grab the attention of a hiring manager in your cover letter. You’ll have to find other examples from your experience that illustrate the same objectives as the MSL role, such as your abilities to understand the clinical implications of new research, to build relationships, and to effectively communicate with scientific leaders.

]]>http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/09/effective-cover-letters-for-medical-science-liaison-jobs/feed/2Great advice for getting started as a medical writerhttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/07/great-advice-for-getting-started-as-a-medical-writer/
http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/07/great-advice-for-getting-started-as-a-medical-writer/#commentsSun, 07 Aug 2011 17:17:25 +0000Headhunterhttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/?p=436I’ve been meaning to post a link to “Chain the Wolf“, a great blog about Medical Writing, for a while now. I’ve emailed back and forth with the author a few times over the past few years, and I was thrilled when she started putting some of her thoughts about her career path in medical writing and medical education to screen.

In her own words,

I’m currently a full-time freelance medical writer and consultant (2.5 years and counting). Most of my clients are medical communication companies and the projects are usually in the area of oncology, although I also dabble in neuroscience from time to time.

But how did I get here and why do I have this blog? I really struggled at a few points before getting to where I am now. (. . .)

I eventually thought about medical writing, so once again I had to seek out information. How does one get a job in that industry? Would it or would it not be a good career for me? I did everything from post angst filled questions on a forum board (Hi Ask Metafilter!), conducted many informational interviews, and after taking a few more steps, I was hired at a medical communication company.I still wasn’t quite happy as my real goal was to eventually become a freelance medical writer. For some reason, making the leap from fulltime employee at a company to an independent freelancer was difficult. Sometimes it was facing a fear. I also had to learn new skills and few people have training in how to run a business, even if it is simple. I was able to successfully make the jump but again, I do wish there had been useful resources for me. I still look for “how to run a business” type resources, and there isn’t really high quality information out there.

So I am creating this blog as a resource for people who like me, had questions; in a way, I am trying to pay it forward and put up this information for other people like the old me.

‘Chain the Wolf” (a phrase which refers to managing your fear) is fairly new, but has already featured many useful posts on getting started in medical communications, freelancing, and alternate career paths for PhDs. It’s a great resource and I am very happy to recommend it.

]]>http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/08/07/great-advice-for-getting-started-as-a-medical-writer/feed/0Transitioning from the lab to a Clinical Research Associate jobhttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/07/26/transitioning-from-the-lab-to-a-clinical-research-associate-job/
http://yourfirstpharmajob.com/2011/07/26/transitioning-from-the-lab-to-a-clinical-research-associate-job/#commentsWed, 27 Jul 2011 01:15:28 +0000Headhunterhttp://yourfirstpharmajob.com/?p=431New Scientist recently published a career ‘case study‘, detailing how Linda Murray, a parasitologist and research assistant made the transition from the lab to a coveted job as a clinical research associate. After sending some resumes, she was lucky to land a role as a clinical trial associate with a CRO — an entry level step that gave her a good overview of the clinical research process.

Unfortunately, the article is not tremendously enlightening about what aspect of Linda’s approach led to her success. She had a friend who was already working as a CRA, which may have helped her to network and put her resume in front of the right people. Additionally, being able to ask someone who’s knowledgeable for insight into the industry can be a huge advantage — that’s basically what an informational interview is all about. Sometimes, luck plays a role as well — if a CRO has just landed a contract for a big new trial, they may need to quickly adjust their staff levels to manage the workload. You may be able to give yourself an edge and increase your chances of being in the “right place at the right time” by reading trade magazines and industry newswatch websites to find out when trials are announced or contracts are awarded.

We’ve published a number of articles about the CRA career path that may help you find your own way to a career in clinical research. Please check them out — and good luck in your search.